On This Day

/ September

Bellof killed at Spa

1985
A driver destined for greatness, Stefan Bellof was killed when he overstepped the mark in a sports car race at Spa, failing in a crazy attempt to overtake at the daunting Eau Rouge corner in his Porsche 956. Bellof was an electrifying driver, often on the ragged edge of control. He made it to Formula One in 1984 with Tyrrell and was challenging for victory at Monaco before heavy rain stopped play when he was third, thwarting both him and Ayrton Senna as they closed on Alain Prost. However, the Tyrrell team was found to have committed a technical irregularity and all his points were removed for the 1984 season. He won six times for Porsche en route to claiming the world title and was going for a sixth in 1985 when tragedy struck.

2002Michael Schumacher won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, described by some reporters as 'another massacre at Malmedy', such was his dominance at the circuit. Schumacher chalked up a record tenth win of the season and his seventh at Spa to win from team-mate Rubens Barrichello and the Williams of Juan Pablo Montoya in a race that was virtually devoid of overtaking.

2003
Cornelius Horan, the former priest who ran on to the track during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, was released from custody after six weeks on remand. The former priest believed that God protected him and the drivers when he was on the track. He also said that he would not have conducted his protest but a gate leading to the track had been left open - and that this represented a signal from God that he should invade the track.

2004
Michael Schumacher held a press conference to announce that he had no intention of leaving the sport he loves in the near future. "Apparently I'm supposed to announce my retirement here, but that is not the case," said Schumacher.

2007
Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya vowed to do his best to bring India into Formula One after teaming up with Spyker's director of Formula One Michiel Mol to make an 80 million euro bid for the cash-strapped team. "Team India is on the F1 grid," declared Mallya in a press conference. Mallya's dream became reality when his Force India team took the grid for the 2008 Australian Grand Prix.